The Biography – serie

The Welsh: The Biography tells the story of the remarkable survival of the oldest nation and oldest language in Europe. We see how the four original major Celtic tribes are still reflected in the location of Britain’s four oldest cathedrals, and how after one and a half millennia of constant invasions and eventual conquest, the Welsh retained their sense of nationality.The story of the Welsh is one of defending the nation against overwhelming odds, and of a major contribution to European literature. Its tenth century laws are acknowledged as the most progressive in the world until the later twentieth century. Almost uniquely in the world, Wales has had heroines as well as heroes, princesses as well as princes who contributed to its progress. Wales has given heroes such as Owain Glyndwr who are recognised across the globe, and men such as David Lloyd George, to whom Hitler attributed the winning of First World War. The character of the Welsh – their pacifism, literary abilities and influence – is splendidly described in this unique history of the Welsh as a people.

Spread out under the vast Norfolk skies, the Broads have helped define the county. In a panoramic sweep of facts, anecdotes and historical research, Pete Goodrum tells their story. From the Roman occupation, when the peat excavations that would form them were first begun, through the dark days of the Middle Ages, to the innovations of the nineteenth century and the emergence of the area as an internationally loved holiday location, this is the complete picture of the Norfolk Broads. Long thought to be a natural phenomenon the Broads are now known to be manmade. And man has made much of them. An inspiration to writers and artists, a passion for conservationists and a recreational wonderland for holidaymakers, the Norfolk Broads are inextricably linked to the history and social development of the county. Covering the development of this beautiful and intriguing area up to the present day, Norfolk Broads: The Biography is a rewarding insight into the history of these magical waterways.

'If only stones could speak.' Often, when we visit historic towns, churches, castles, or old family mansions, we wish that the people who were once connected with those places could step out of the shadowy walls and tell us stories about their distant past. This book aims to do just that, combining the history of the great city of Norwich with revelations concerning the lives and labours, the lamentations and loves, of rich and poor, the great and the ungodly, throughout the last 1,000 years. Drawing on information derived from historic documents, tomb inscriptions, parish records, diaries and newspapers, Norwich: The Biography conjures up a vivid panorama of life in one of Britain's most warm-hearted and fascinating cities.

The birthplace of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon is a celebrated and much-visited town. From the probable origins of Stratford as a monastic settlement, to the foundation of a ‘new town’ in the Middle Ages and the development of a miniature Christian commonwealth under the medieval guilds, the town’s early years are traced in fascinating detail. These pages hold a full account of the Civil War, the Commonwealth and the Restoration, followed by the languor of the Georgian era. Victorian revival and the growth of modern communications led to the disappearance of much of old Stratford, while the present century has seen both change and conservation.The town’s Shakespeare connections ensured keen interest in its local records as early as the eighteenth century, so they are probably the fullest archives for any place in England, providing a uniquely detailed picture of town life through the centuries. Extensive research into these records, as well as into the memories of Stratfordians past and present, results in a portrait of a town that is at once lively and thorough. We meet the greats (Warwick the Kingmaker, William Shakespeare, Oliver Cromwell, David Garrick, James Boswell, Queen Victoria) and also the generations of townspeople whose lives and works made Stratford what it is today. The book is a celebration of a wonderful town and of those who have called it home.

Founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell, Bournemouth was originally a deserted heathland, home to fishermen and smugglers. Initially marketed as a health resort, Bournemouth’s growth really accelerated with the arrival of the railway and it became a town in 1870. The arrival of the railways precipitated a massive growth in seaside and summer visitors to the town, especially from the Midlands and London. In 1880, the town had a population of 17,000 but, by 1900, when railway connections to Bournemouth were at their most developed, the town’s population had risen to 60,000 and it had become a favourite location for visiting artists and writers.Today, Bournemouth has a population of almost 190,000 people, and is a tourist centre of leisure, entertainment, culture and recreation. It has come a long way from its roots in the nineteenth century. Those roots, the formative years of the town, are the focus of Bournemouth: The Biography, which charts the evolution of Bournemouth from a smuggler’s haven to the coastal resort we know today.

Cardiff has an incredibly rich history, from its foundation as a Roman fort through its Norman occupation to its establishment as a county town following the Act of Union with England. Owing to its strategic position on the River Taff, Cardiff became the world’s greatest coal port in the nineteenth century, and in the post-industrial era, the city has found a new identity as the capital of Wales.Join author Dic Mortimer as he explores the history of one of Britain’s most fascinating and vibrant cities, exploring the people and events that made the Welsh capital what it is today.